WWII Era Recipes from The Knott House
The Knott House Museum asked several volunteers to try out some WWII era recipes and share the results.
Lemon Sponge Cake
Mr. Knott was a citrus farmer so we think this recipe appropriate for the Knott House.
Volunteer Terri Carrion tried out the vintage recipe to make sure it is a good one.. She said, "I never made a sponge cake before so I had to get the right pan, a tube pan/Angel Cake pan. Then I made sure I had all the right ingredients on hand. Which I didn’t! Cake flour was a new item to add to my pantry. Off to the market I went. When I got back I collected some very juicy Meyer lemons from my garden and set off to bake this simple and classic Lemon Sponge Cake. Overall, it was a pretty easy recipe and it turned out great! Very spongy and light with a nice fresh lemon flavor. I decided to put some vegan lemon curd I had in the fridge on top, rather than whipped cream, but it would go well with any creamy topping, even some ice cream!"
By the way, Terri grows beautiful lemons in her yard and she picked the ones she used in this cake.
Lemon Sponge Cake
- 6 Eggs
- 1 cup Cake Flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon
- Cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup Lemon juice
- 1 Lemon zested
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
Preheat oven to 325° F. and get out 9-inch angel food pan (or “tube” pan).) Separate the eggs into two bowls a larger one for the yolks. Beat the yolks with a whisk until thickened and are the color of lemons. Beat in the sugar little by little until it is thoroughly mixed. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and beat well. Next, add flour little by little, beating well after each addition. In the second bowl, beat the eggs whites until they are white and frothy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Continue beating the egg whites until stiff peaks form, but they are not dry. Fold the whites into the egg yolk mixture. Pour the batter into the ungreased pan. Bake for 1 hour or so until it springs back when touched. Once cooled, run a knife along the outer edge, and invert onto a cake plate.
Depression Era Hoppin' John
Our guest cook was Lydia Malone, a former Knott House educator who currently works at the Museum of Florida History. Lydia tried the recipe and remarked, "I added ham hocks because my greatgrandma Ollie Bell Nabors passed down this tradition. She was born in 1914 and lived through the Great Depression, learning to cook what her mother cooked in Shelby County, Alabama."
Hoppin' John
- 1 cup dried black eyed peas
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces salt pork, diced
- 1 dash cayenne
- 1 cup raw long grain rice, uncooked
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Pick over and wash peas. Soak overnight in 3 cups of water. The next day, drain water. Add peas to pot and just cover with water. Add salt, onion and salt pork to pot. Cover and bring to a boiling point, and simmer about 1 1/4 hours, or until peas are tender and only a small amount of liquid is left. Add pepper and cayenne. Cook rice according to package directions. Add butter to rice and mix in lightly with the peas. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes for flavors to blend. Serve hot with corn bread.
Cream Cheese and Olive Sandwiches
Here is a recipe that may have be used in the Knott House's kitchen. Director or Museums Lisa Barton tried out the recipe and said, "The cream cheese and olive sandwiches were very easy and quick to make. The sandwiches were really good. The lettuce added a nice crunchiness/texture, and the cream cheese/mayo mixture had just the right amount of sweetness. I highly recommend this recipe for a picnic or a party!"
Cream Cheese and Olive Sandwiches
- 2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon very finely chopped green onions
- 1 or 2 teaspoons butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 8 slices firm white bread
- ½ cup thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped stuffed green olives
Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, milk, and pepper into a small bowl. Fold in olives and green onion. Divide mixture onto 4 slices of bread. Spread to reach crusts. Top each with one quarter of lettuce. Spread butter over remaining bread slices and place them on top of first 4 slices. Cut in half diagonally and serve or wrap for lunch box. 4 servings
From Grandma’s Wartime Kitchen by Joanne Lamb Hayes
